Families desperate as 129 still missing four days after ship capsized in Indonesia’s Java Sea

Desperation and frustration are growing among families of the 129 people still missing after the weekend capsizing of a ship in Indonesia’s Java Sea, as persistent heavy seas and bad weather continue to restrict search and rescue operations.

The Virgo Transport 8 was carrying 243 people on a 20-hour voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan when it capsized in bad weather early on Sunday.

On Wednesday the official death toll stood at six people with 108 rescued and 129 unaccounted for, tallies that have not changed since Sunday.

“I hope we would use our advanced military equipment. We buy them to help people, right? Or else what for? For war? We likely will not go to war,” said 37-year-old Fauzi, who has been waiting for news of seven family members, including his mother, who were on the ship.

Fauzi, who goes by one name, said after four days of waiting at the rescue command centre in Banjarmasin for promised updates about the search, his hopes have begun to fade.

“We do not hope much but what we need is certainty,” he said.

The coast guard and navy have been unable to launch underwater search and rescue operations because of waves of up to 2.5m and strong winds near the capsized vessel, said I Putu Sudayana, the head of Banjarmasin’s rescue agency.

On Wednesday six ships were deployed for a surface search, Putu said, along with helicopters and aircraft.

Maria Dethan, 21, has stayed in the command centre since it was set up, anxiously waiting for news of her brother Samuel.

“Every time I am about to eat, I always remember my brother because I believe he has been starving for days,” she said, adding she needed some certainty from authorities.

“I hope there will be clear information about my brother today.”